https://youtu.be/OoVWddR62Zs
The Magic’s long-term plans are both very clear and very unclear at the same time. The very clear part is that they’re tanking and trying to rebuild through the draft. You know this is the case because they traded all their best players for scraps and picks. The dismal “core” of Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier, and Aaron Gordon is no more, having been scattered to the unforgiving winds of the trade deadline. But tanking isn’t cut-and-dry. It depends on how draft picks turn out and how the players already on the roster progress in their development. Magic fans could be in for a long, successful rebuild like the Sixers, or a long, unsuccessful rebuild like the Kings. Hopefully the prospect of suffering through a Kings-esque rebuild doesn’t cause Magic fans too much stress. Maybe they’re weeping right now. I know I would be.
Where does R.J. Hampton fit into all of this? From what I can tell, the “core” of the Magic is Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac. That’s an extremely uninspiring core, even when ignoring the worrying injury history of both those players. If players currently on the roster seem not to fit with that core, it doesn’t matter, because that core shouldn’t be considered ironclad. For example, the Magic shouldn’t be looking to flip Hampton for a player at a different position just because he happens to fill the same role as Fultz does. If Hampton (who just scored a career-high eighteen points, in case you didn’t realize) turns out to be good enough to become a true member of the “core”, then that’s a good problem to have, and you figure it out at that point. Same with Cole Anthony, who just hit the game-winner in this game.
Actually, the more I think about it, the more it seems like the Magic are in very bad shape and will need to hit on multiple first-round picks (or somehow convince decent free agents to sign with them) to have a chance of being competitive within five years. Hopefully the upcoming half decade (or more) of ceaseless tanking results in at least one season where Hampton averages 15/5 on 43% shooting.